Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-03-09
hesitated about making such proposal,
Driscembe. It must have hurt poor Maude,

MARX my W0rQS, DrlSc0mDo, 0Xcla1m'
ed Hertford, excitedly, 'you will sometime
regret having said that. If ever mar
stood high 1.-THE community, it was Maude's
father, and believe he is an innocent suf
| ferer for some enc else's crime"
SIT isn't likely that a jury would have
convicted him if there had been loophole
Of escape by which to let him off,"
well, time will proves" and with these
words the young men parted-Hertford to
offer his sympathy to the sorrowing wife
and child of the condemned man, and Harry
to 90 whithersoever his disturbed thoughts
might lead him.
| As Hertferd stood at the door waiting
for an answer to his ring, boy ran rapidly
pthe steps, bearing in his hand a telegram,
| which he gave to the servant to deliver te
her mistress.
The girl took it and said to Hsrtford:
| "Please to walk into the parlor. l will
see if my mistress can see you"
| A few minutes later scream, followed
by heavy fall, struck upon Hertford's
ear, and the girl came rushing down the
stairs with terror depicted upon her face.
"Oh, Sir, my mistress is dying! she has
had bad news from the master and it has
killed her, sure! Oh, what shall we do?-
what shall we do?" and she wrung her hands
in distress.
SIT may be only. faint" Ray said,
soethingly. ''Take me to your mistress. 1
may be able to suggest something to relieve
her."
But before he reached her she had come
to her senses. She put out her hands en-
treatingly.
''We must go to my husband at once
He is dying. Will you give us the protec.
ton Of your presence, Mr.. Hertford? We are
so alone--Maude and IP'
Il will 60 for carriage while you and
Maude get ready to accompany me; will
be here in very short time. But keep up
your courage Mrs. Msrdaunt; while there
is life there is hope you know"
His calmness quieted the poor wife's
agitation, and raised her hope.
Maude was as Though turned suddenly
dazsd expression in her dilated eyes which
caused Hertford to fear for her mind. HI
longed to have the right to open his arms
and say to her:
| "Let me share your sorrow and trouble
with you. Lay yeur stricken head upen my
breast and feel that my heart throbs are in
unison with your own-the same in dis
grace or in joy.'
| But, alas! the one who had once such an
inestimable privilege had proven unworthy
of the trust, and he who had only stood by
to see the precious treasure of her love be-
slowed upon another, could now only offer
his help as from one friend to another
not as from her ewn rightful knight
errant.
Their sad journey ended at last, but it
was to find themselves in the presence of
death. Mr.. Mordaunt had breathed his
last almost with the departure of the mes
senger.
Then Rays opportunity was given him,
and he made the mes tef it. Mrs. Nor
daunt was SO stunned by the shock that she
lay for weeks in stupor, varied occasional
ly by outbreaks Of delirium. Maude watch
ed over her tenderly, and almost forgot her
ewn sorrow in fighting for her mothers
life. No worry of the outer world was al
lowed to intrude upon her. Ray constitut-
ed himself barrier beyond which no
thought about ways or means should pass
Every day flowers and fruit for the invalid
were sent by him to the sick room; and the
few words of thanks which he occasionally
received from Maude's trembling lips were
remembered and dwelt upon as the miser
hugs his treasure
At last, however, came the golden gift of
all to him. He became the bearer of in
telligence to clear away all clouds of shame
from the memory of The husband and "a
ther. He had befriended man whom he
had, as it were, picked from the gutter into
which he had fallen after prolonged period
of indulgence in drink. He had taken him
to his own home and cared for him, and
had talked with him seriously but kindly
about his folly in yielding to temptation.
ho coJl
good ground, and his protege became re-
formed man, and in his earnestness of con-
viction, resolved to devote himself to the
werk of raising other inebriates out of the
slough from which he himself had been
rescued.
1t was through him that Ray received
clew, which, followed up, resulted in find
ing out the real criminal for whose crime
Maude's father had wrongfully been made
to suffer. MIR. Merdaunt had been cashier
of bank, and by eunningly eontrived
plan suspicion had been fastened upon him
after the bank had been robbed.
Now, however, his name had been clear
ed, and it was through Ray Hertford that
it had been done. Can it be wondered at
that Maude, as well as her mother, began to
regard him in the light of one of the neblest
and most unselfish of benefactors?
But Ray was too sensible to betray the
real nature of his feelings to Maude, until
an incident occurred which precipitated
matters. 1t was fully three years after Mr..
Morduant's sudden death.
Maude had received from a friend the
the present of some pressed flowers, gather
ed amid the grandeur Of Alpine heights
One of the specimens was very beautiful,
and as she read its accompanying descrip-
tion, and learned that it always blessomed
| through the snow, she looked up at Ray,
who was standing beside her, and said, with
sad smile:
"That is an emblem of our friendship,
| Ray. 1t. took root in the winter of our
deepest sorrow. shall love that flower
the best of all, for it will always remind me
of your faithful kindness to us when others,
from whom might have had right to ex-
pect comfort and help, passed by on the
other side.''
Rays voice trembled as he answered her.
He tried to speak jestingly, but it was a
failure; his words bore the impress Of the
intense longing which filed his soul.
Love me, Maude, instead of the fower''
he said, "for it is unsatisfactory to waste
so much that is precious upon an inanimate
object; and oh! Maude, you are the dearest
object upon earth to mep'
Maude opened her eyes wide in surprise
at this unexpected outbreak from quiet,
self-contained Ray Hertford. Then, witch
sudden rush of color to her face, she
said:
e ss'Do you mean it, Ray? Inever thought
of you in that light; but think you are the
dearest and best of men, and-and-I real
ly believe-Oh! Ray, / am glad you love
mep'
The next moment her blushing face was
hidden upon Rays breast.
His faithful love had met with its re
ward.
'Man's works from sun to sun;
Weman's work is never DONE"
/ Work is necessity to all but, upo1
how many, women especially, does it fal
with the burden of the 'slast straw" anl
this, because their peculiarly delicate con
stitutions are so liable to functional de
rangement. We cannot lessen your toll
ladies, but we can make it easier for you
by making you stronger and better able tt